Railway-switch-stand contact-box.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAILWAY-SWITCH-STAN D CONTACT-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1905.

A licatio filed May 5, 1905. Serial No. 258.955.

To all whom, it may concern! Be it known thatI, VVILLIAu JOHN HUGHES, asubject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Levis, in the Provinceof Quebec, Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Railway-Switch-Stand Contact-Boxes, of which the following is aspecification.

Myinvention relates to safety-switch mechanism, and more particularly toa contactbreaker operated on the switch-stand. Its object is to providea contact-breaker that will be reliable and will not be afl'ected byclimate or weather.

The improvements consist in a box and arm provided with lugs to securethem to the switch-stand and locking-block, respectively. The box has aremovable cover and front plate. The cover has a flanged neck. Thecontact-spring and its connections are novel.

Reference is made to the annexed drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is afront view, one-half being in section; Fig. 2, a vertical cross-sectionof Fig. 1; Fig. 3, atop view, one-half shown with cover removed; Fig. 4,a front view of arm; Fig. 5, a side View of arm.

The box 1, secured by the flanges 11 to the switch-stand, has a top 2with necks 21 rising therewith. The top 2 is secured to the box 1 byscrews 22. A circular opening 13 at the bottom of the box 1, to which isconnected a tube, admits the circuit-wires to the bindingposts. Flanges14 support an insulating-plate 3, which is provided with contact-points61 and 62, having binding-posts 611 and 621. A front plate 12 isremovable. A sliding yoke 4 passes through the neck 21 and has a cap 40,secured by a screw 40], surrounding the neck 21. An insulating-block 43is secured by screws 43 to the lower end of the yoke 4. A bolt 42 passesthrough the block 43 and extends through the plate 3. A coil-spring 45surrounds the bolt 42 and rests in seat 31, cut in the plate 3. A nut 44on the bolt 42 bears on the top of the coil-spring 45 and retains thecontact-spring 5 in position, so that the ends project over thecontact-points 61 and 62.

Secured to the locking-block of the switch is an arm 71 with flanges 72and a cap 7, which fits over the caps 40 when the locking-block descendsinto a locked position.

I do not show the switch-stand and the switch in the specification, asthey are fully described in my Patent No. 200,996, tiled March 31, 1904,for electric switch-signal device.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The binding-posts 611 and621 having been connected in circuit with an electric semaphore. whichnormally stands at danger when the circuit is open, the contact-spring 5is normally held by the spring 45 away from the contactpoints 61 and 62.When the switchstand-loc'king mechanism brings the arm 71 and cap 7 overthe cap 40 and descends, the contact-spring 5 is depressed and connectsthe contact-points 61 and 62, closing the circuit, whereby the semaphoreis operated to indicate safety, as described in the said patent.

The neck 21 and cap 40 prevent any moisture entering the box and keepthe surface of the cover free from obstructions, such as ice. The bolt42 being insulated from the yoke 4 prevents any leakage or shortcircuit.

By means of the front plate 12 the operating parts can be readilyexamined and the contacts cleaned.

Having now described my invention and howit is operated, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of acontact-box having lugs, a cover thereto providedwith a flanged neck, and an opening at the lower end to admitcircuitwires, an insulating-plate provided with contact-points andbinding-posts, a spring-controlled contact-spring, an insulated yokeconnected with the contact-spring, and passing through the flanged neckof the cover, and a cap thereto, as described.

2. The combination of a contact-box with a flanged neck on the upperend, a spring-controlled contact-spring having insulated connection witha yoke passing through the flanged neck, a cap on the top of the yokesurrounding the flanged neck and insulated contact-points withbinding-posts beneath the ends of said contact-spring.

3. The combination of a contact-box with a flanged neck on its upperend, a yoke passing through the flanged neck having a cap on the topsurrounding said neck, aspring-controlled contact-spring with aninsulated connection to the said yoke and contact-points beneath thecontact-spring set in an insulating-plate with binding-posts to saidpoints, and an arm provided with a cap adapted to descend over the capof the yoke and depress the contactspring to close the circuit, asdescribed.

4. In a contact-box a flanged opening in its upper end combined with areciprocating con- I In testimony whereof Ihave signed my nametact-spring-operating member provided With to this specification in thepresence of two suba cap surrounding said flanged opening. scribingWitnesses.

5. ln :1 contactbox, a cover having an open- WILLIAM JOHN HUGHES. 5 ingwith aflanged neck rising therefrom, com- Witnesses:

binedwith a contact-Spring-depressing device SADIE E. GREEN,

provided with a cap surrounding the said neck. WILLIAM W. HENRY.

